The Snow Queen
by The Legend of Rune Factory
Summary: Arendelle has been frozen for three long, harrowing years. Queen Elsa knows that in order to undo the eternal winter she must somehow find an "act of true love". However, isolation has made her cold and unfeeling. When Kristoff comes along with the promise of salvation, he'll need all the help he can get to thaw her frozen heart. *AU based on Frozen's development span* HIATUS
1. Prologue

**_Frozen_ has been in production since the late 1930's, soon after _Snow white and the Seven Dwarves_. In over seventy years, the story has changed dramatically. For example, in the earliest plots of the movie, Anna didn't even exist. **

**Drawing inspiration from various iterations of this movie through the ages and the song "Love Can't Be Denied", here is my version of what _Frozen_ could have been.**

**By the way, Elsa is going to be _extremely _OOC for a while. Remember, originally she was the villain, so a villain I shall make her.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, save for OCs.**

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"Anna, take this man away before I freeze him."

"Yes Your Majesty!" Anna stepped forward and gripped the man's elbow. "Sir, it's time for you to go."

He glanced at her. "You can't be serious—"

"She is." Anna began gently pushing him toward the two giant doors of the throne room, each flanked by a giant guard of snow and ice. "Thank you for visiting Arendelle!" She waved as he was led away by another guard.

Behind her, she heard Elsa sigh heavily. She whirled to face her friend. "Your Majesty?"

"Anna, when will they ever end?" The queen rubbed her eyes with one hand while the other clenched around the armrest of her throne. "Day in, day out, nothing but dignitaries and ambassadors. It's ridiculous."

"Well, perhaps if you thawed the kingdom—"

"_You know_ I can't do that!" She roared, standing up. Spikes of ice grew from the ceiling and sparkled in the light. "How _dare_ you even suggest it?"

Anna skittered back as one icicle fell and shattered at her feet. "I-I'm sorry Your Majesty!"

Elsa's eyes flashed in anger before she took a deep breath. "I'll overlook it." She settled herself back on the throne. "Please, leave me be."

"Yes, of course." The younger girl curtsied and hurried from the room.

Using a gust of icy air, Elsa closed the doors behind her. She drew in a shaky breath and closed her eyes. "Conceal, don't feel… Don't feel…"

"Ma'am?"

She snapped her head up to see a guard standing before her. "What is it?"

The large snow creature knelt. "Would you like us to leave as well, ma'am?"

"Yes, all of you. Out." She waved her hand dismissively.

Now truly alone, Queen Elsa of Arendelle allowed herself to stand and step off the throne. Frost crept out from her footsteps, crawling over the floor and up the walls. She walked to one of the many windows and stared outside. Snow was falling. She tried to imagine a time when the land wasn't covered in ice, but her memory failed her.

For the past three years of her reign, the Snow Queen of Arendelle single-handedly brought the neighboring kingdoms under her cold control as she threatened them with a curse of eternal winter should they not give into her demands. She crushed any opposing armies with her own military of snowmen. Any lands surrounding Arendelle were well aware of her destructive power, and even more aware of her lack of scruples in using it. More than one rumor circulated about her garden of statues, supposedly young men and women who crossed her or asked her hand in marriage.

Once upon a time the fair country of Arendelle was filled with laughter and sunshine, their summers warm and their winters enjoyable. However, since the ascension of a young woman with a frozen heart, everything turned to ice and snow. She knew times were changing. The only way to achieve her goals would be to rule with fear. Fortunately for her, a curse granted her the power to do so without regret.

To say Elsa enjoyed the freezing of troubling people and forcing her citizens to scrape out a living each day would be a falsehood. The young queen knew her country suffered. And like any good monarch, she desperately wanted to reverse the winter she created. She would give anything for the answer to her problems, though it had been given to her a long time ago.

_Love_.

The trolls told her that only an act of true love would thaw a frozen heart. At first she dismissed the ridiculous idea, though it began showing promise as she grew more and more desperate. She searched inside herself, digging for the love she knew she surely harbored. It proved futile. Elsa isolated herself for far too long and lost the few people she ever showed kindness to years before. With the death of her parents, her heart died as well, replaced by the ice that gripped her from the inside out.

"An act of true love…" She ran a finger over the window, watching frost follow her touch. "How can a person without feeling _feel_?"

She whirled to face the throne room. Icicles still hung from the ceiling and she knew the temperature had dropped several degrees. Yet, she felt no differently. Smirking half-heartedly, she began to walk toward the doors with the intent of leaving. More ice trailed after her on the floor.

Her gaze swept over it before she frowned. "_Don't feel_," She whispered. With a wave of her hand, the doors opened and she stepped into the corridor.


	2. Good Morning, Your Majesty

**I'd like to thank those that reviewed/favorited/followed this story. I'm glad you like it, and I hope you continue to enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: I only own any OC's I may create.**

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Anna gripped the curtains tightly and took a deep breath. She glanced back at the bed, in which Elsa continued to sleep peacefully. Looking at the state of the room, it was the only peace she'd had the entire night. However much she hated to wake her, it had to be done.

"Rise and shine, Your Majesty!" Anna threw back the curtains and allowed sunlight to stream in.

The lump beneath the blankets groaned. "Why do mornings have to start so early…" The queen growled, her voice low and rough.

"I've told you before that if you wanted to change your schedule you could, but you never listened to me." Anna finished tying back the curtains before she turned around. "Well, now that you're up, it's time to get ready."

Elsa sat up groggily and wiped a hand across her eyes. "Please, I hardly slept at all last night."

"I noticed." The strawberry-blonde stepped over an icicle that protruded from the wall. "Sleep or not, you still have a country to run."

"Anna…"

"Elsa."

At this, a small smile tugged at the queen's lips. "You're fortunate you're my friend, or else I would have frozen you a long time ago." She swung her long legs over the edge of the bed and stood up, stretching. "I assume you've drawn a bath for me already?"

Anna nodded. "Of course. Steaming, just like you like it."

"Thank you." She turned to walk barefoot to the bathing room. "Come along, Anna."

"O-oh, right." The servant girl avoided the piles of snow as she followed the queen. "I'll be sending the maids to clean your chambers once you go to breakfast."

Elsa grunted a reply and removed her nightgown. She lowered herself into the giant basin. "What is my schedule for the day?" She waved her head to clear the air of steam, the hot water reacting with her impossibly cold body.

"Well, first you have breakfast, like normal."

"Mm."

"Then I believe the council wanted to see you."

"Cancel it." She reached for a bar of soap. "I don't want to have anything to do with them and they know it."

Anna sighed quickly. "Right."

"After that?" She splashed water over herself nonchalantly; not seeming to care her best friend was blushing profusely in the room.

The strawberry-blonde flipped through her mental notebook. "Nothing. That was the only thing to do today. Unless you have some paperwork unfinished."

"I never leave that undone. My life is too boring for me to skip working." She tried to maneuver some water over her hair, though the basin was too shallow for her to dive under and the bucket too cumbersome by herself.

"Here." Anna rolled her eyes and took it from the queen's grasp, pouring it over her.

"Thank you," She sputtered, spitting water from her lips. Pulling back the curtain of hair, she smiled shyly. "I'm quite pathetic, aren't I? The great Snow Queen of Arendelle can't even bathe herself."

"Hey, what are friends for?" The younger girl grinned. "Well, if you need me, I'll be outside the door."

"Yes, thank you."

Anna bowed out of the room and closed the door behind her. She took a deep breath as she waited, letting her gaze wander over the queen's chambers. With a chuckle she set to making the bed. Though Elsa was not necessarily an untidy person, she did occasionally get too wrapped up in kingdom affairs and snow to see to the little things in life, such as making a bed or picking up some fallen forms, or even adjusting a painting that is slightly askew. Fortunately her friend would always be there for her.

Once the great four-poster bed was neatly made, Anna began to see to breaking the icicles scattered about when she heard voices in the corridor. She scurried to the door and her fingertips just brushed the handle when she clearly heard, "…or kill the damned queen and get it over with!"

"Hm?" She pressed her ear to the cool wood.

"Ha, that was the other half of what the troll said that Anna won't tell her!"

"'Course not. Girl's the queen's _friend_ or some nonsense. They're both crazy."

"But hey, if we killed the queen, wouldn't we want Anna to take over? She's the one who sat through all those lessons with the queen! She'd know what to do."

"It'd be up to the council to vote on a new queen, but I'd put in a good word for 'er."

"I don't see why we don't just leave."

"Because it's worse out there than it is in here."

"But I'm tired of being cold all the time…"

Anna flung open the door and cleared her throat. "Ladies?"

The two maids turned around, having passed the door. "Yes, Anna?" The older, plumper woman stepped forward.

"Her Majesty, unfortunately, froze her room again." She raised an eyebrow. "Can I trust you two to clean it up?"

"Why wouldn't you?"

"Maybe because you're plotting to _kill Elsa_?"

The other maid swallowed hard. "You heard that?"

"Yeah I heard it!" Anna stomped up to them and jabbed her finger in the first maid's chest. "I should have you both fired for that! You know that if Elsa heard she wouldn't hesitate to freeze you both! You've seen her garden, haven't you?"

They nodded vigorously.

"I'll ignore what you said as long as her room is spotless by lunch." Anna narrowed her eyes. "Or else I might just accidentally let Her Majesty know what I overheard…"

"We'll get it clean!" They rushed off to find the necessary cleaning supplies.

Anna nodded triumphantly and walked back to the door. She gasped as she saw Elsa standing just inside the room, dressed and ready to go. "Your Majesty?"

"Thank you," She whispered, turning her head. "I heard you yelling, and I thought something had happened."

"Oh, nothing. Just some two maids—"

"Anna, I know I'm not well-liked." Elsa took a deep breath before she looked up. "But I thank you for standing up for me." She smiled slightly. "Shall we go to breakfast?"

The girl nodded. "Sure."

They walked down the corridor in silence, their footsteps muffled on the carpet. Anna watched with a smirk as the two maids from before rushed past them, their arms laden with brooms and mops. She stifled a giggle out of respect.

"Why do you continue to care about me?"

Anna blinked rapidly and looked up at the queen, a young woman three years her senior. "Because you're my friend, Elsa."

"I shut you out for ten years, Anna. I froze our homeland and I continue to rule ruthlessly and without mercy. Yet no matter what I do you seem to be able to look past that and still greet me with a smile each morning, as if everything were normal and I weren't a monster. Why?"

"You're not a monster, Elsa. You're misunderstood."

The queen stopped walking and whirled to face her, her brow furrowed. "You think so?"

"I know so. Almost everyone here seems to think you're a heartless, cruel, evil, merciless—"

"Continue, please."

"Heh, sorry. Anyway, they think you're a monster that deserves to be locked up, thrown away, kicked out, killed, _something_. But not me. I know what you can do and I know you didn't mean for any of this to happen." Anna smiled warmly, her turquoise eyes flashing with kindness. "That's why I care about you, Elsa. Because I know you're not a monster. You're just misunderstood."

The queen remained silent for several moments before she placed a cold hand on the girl's shoulder. "I wish I could be as optimistic as you are, Anna. Never lose that. Do you understand?"

"Well, yeah, but…"

Elsa's crystal eyes were sad, the loneliness within her clearly shining through. Though a weak smile graced her lips, Anna could tell how much her lack of a heart was suffering. She nodded silently.

"Now, let's keep going. I'm rather hungry." And just like that, the Snow Queen changed the mood and kept briskly walking, her hands placed neatly behind her back.

"Yeah, me too." Anna jogged to catch up to her. Soon the two girls were walking side by side in an even rhythm, just as they had in their youth.


	3. You're Coming To Dinner

**One of the reviews I got (from I'm Olaf and I Like warm hugs, actually) mentioned how Elsa is starting to seem like a real bitch. My response: Oh honey. Oh honeychild. You ain't seen nothing yet. This is just the beginning and we have a _whole_ story of Dark/Bitch!Elsa to deal with. It's gonna be a fun ride. That being said, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing, save OCs.**

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"Oaken wasn't kidding…" Kristoff whistled lowly as he looked around. Arendelle was completely covered in ice and snow; had it been December, it would not have been surprising as the country was nestled in the mountains. However, in July, he knew something was terribly amiss. "Come on, Sven." He flicked the reins.

The reindeer grunted in reply and kept pulling the sleigh onward.

Kristoff Bjorgman, a young ice harvester, heard rumors of a land covered in eternal winter. Where winter reigned, ice was plentiful. It would be just the thing to get his ice business off the ground, so he set off for it immediately. He hadn't really expected the rumors to be true, but seeing how the citizens scurried about in the snow, he began to wonder if the other rumor, the darker, frightening one, was true as well.

Did the queen _really_ have the power to control all this?

More importantly, was it true that she wouldn't hesitate to freeze someone just for her enjoyment?

He shivered. The last thing he wanted was to find out. He flicked the reins again to direct his reindeer and best friend onto the bridge leading to the castle. His eyes alighted on a pair of giant snowmen. _Wait… Those can't be…_

As he approached, they came to life and aimed spears of ice at him. "Halt!" One bellowed.

He pulled back the reins to oblige immediately.

"State your business, stranger!" The other stepped forward.

"I n-need to speak with the queen." He swallowed hard, trying to keep the shake from his voice. "Please."

The guards shared a glance before one nodded and went to investigate the sled. The other kept its spear trained on Kristoff. "About what?" It growled.

"Ice, sir. I'm an ice harvester." The man clicked his tongue at the reindeer, who was beginning to act nervous. "Sven, it's all right."

"The sled is clear. No weapons." The snowman walked back around by the other.

His companion nodded. "Open the gates!" He shouted back.

Kristoff watched as the giant gates slowly swung open, revealing a snow-covered courtyard. He flicked the reins again and Sven began walking forward. "It's all right, buddy. Just keep going." He felt the stares of more snowmen guards as they rode in.

One approached him and motioned for the gate to be shut again. "Stay here." It turned around. "Send for Anna!"

A guard disappeared into the castle with a nod.

Kristoff took that time to jump down from the driver's bench. The guard eyed him warily, but made no motion to stop him. He walked around to the reindeer and stroked his nose. "We made it, Sven. You just wait; we'll be back out there in no time."

He settled into an uncomfortable silence as he continued to pet Sven. The glares of the guards bored holes into his back. Just as he whipped around to ask the snowman to back off, he heard the door open again. He raised an eyebrow at the perfectly normal girl that traipsed out.

She walked up to him as if standing in a snow-covered courtyard surrounded by giant snowmen in the middle of July were the most common thing in the world. Her strawberry-blonde braids bounced on her shoulders and she smiled once she stopped. "Welcome to Arendelle!" Her turquoise eyes sparkled.

"Thank…you?" He glanced around nervously.

"I'm Anna. And you are?" She looked up at him eagerly.

"Kristoff. Kristoff Bjorgman."

She grinned. "Nice to meet you, Kristoff! I was told you want to see the queen, right?"

Kristoff could only nod. So far in his adventure she was the most normal thing he encountered; and it scared him.

"Just follow me and I'll take you to her." Anna whirled on her heel before she turned her head back. "Oh, but the reindeer will have to stay out here. Her Majesty doesn't allow animals inside the castle."

"Right." Kristoff looked to his friend. "Sorry, buddy. You'll be all right here. I won't be long." He left Sven a longing glance before he jogged to catch up to Anna.

She sighed once they were side-by-side. "It's so nice having a guest that isn't a dignitary or an ambassador. You said your name was Kristopher?"

"It's Kristoff."

"Oh, right. Sorry." She smiled slightly. "Okay, before you meet the queen, there are a few things I should let you know about."

The nervousness he felt that disappeared once they stepped inside the castle returned in full force. "What kind of things?"

Here Anna bit her lip before she took a deep breath. "I assume you've heard the rumors. You know, about what the queen can do?"

"You mean those are _true_?"

She nodded. "Yep! Her Majesty can make it snow. And ice. And cold wind. And really anything having to do with winter she can do." She noticed his shocked expression. "B-but don't worry! She's usually really quite kind. Just don't make her angry."

"Don't make her angry… Right. Got it." He swallowed hard. "Oh man, what have I gotten myself into…"

Anna sent him a small smile as she knocked on a set of doors. "Well, I hope you're ready."

They opened and the pair walked in. Kristoff gasped as he beheld the young woman sitting on the throne. Her platinum locks were braided around her head, a small crown nestled within them. She stared at them as they entered. Her crystal blue eyes were dull, soulless, unfeeling. He felt rather uneasy in her presence, though he couldn't pull his gaze from her, her beauty having drawn him in. She reminded him very much of the ice she could create; flawless, pale, and so very dangerous.

"I do so hope this is worth interrupting my chess match for, Anna." The queen stood and met them halfway into the throne room. "Is this the young man who was asking for me?"

"Yes, he is." Anna stepped away and gestured to him.

The ice harvester bowed stiffly. "My name is Kristoff Bjorgman, ma'am."

"You may refer to me as Queen Elsa or Your Majesty, but _never_ ma'am, Mr. Bjorgman. That is a privilege I extend only to my guards." She crossed her arms. "You aren't making a very good first impression." She cut him off as he tried to apologize. "Save it, Bjorgman. I'm quite busy and if you have business with me I would like you to get on with it."

He snapped his mouth shut and blinked rapidly. For all her beauty and good looks, the Snow Queen certainly lived up to her name. He cleared his throat. "I came to ask permission to harvest ice from you."

"Harvest…ice?" Her eyes narrowed and she raised her hands defensively. "Have you come to _kill _me or otherwise take my power?"

He backed up. "No! No, I didn't! I don't even know how to do that."

She stood still a moment more before she relaxed. "I see. Then what do you mean?"

"I'm an ice harvester, Your Majesty. I would like to harvest ice from the lakes and rivers in Arendelle for my business." He smiled weakly, trying to appease her.

To his surprise she laughed harshly. "Please! By all means, take as much as you'd like. If I run out I can just make more." She turned to walk back to the throne. "If that's all you wanted, you're free to go."

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

"Yes, yes, all well and good." She waved dismissively.

Kristoff felt Anna tugging on his arm. "Okay, we should go now."

Once they were safely in the hallway he turned to her. "Really quite kind, huh? What was that?!"

Anna winced. "I guess she was really enjoying that game of chess…" She rubbed her arms. "I'm sorry. I didn't know she was going to be like that."

"Oaken wasn't kidding when he called her the Snow Queen." He shook his head. "How does she get anything done like that? She's impossible!"

"She's misunderstood."

"You keep telling yourself that."

She huffed and stuck out her bottom lip in a pout. "I _happen_ to be her best friend and I know her better than anyone. She _is_ misunderstood, Kristoff. Just be happy she didn't freeze you…"

"She would actually do that?"

"Unfortunately…"

Kristoff remained quiet until they made their way back out the courtyard. Sven had been unhitched from the sled and bounded up to them. "Hey Sven! The queen said we can go ahead and get to work!"

The reindeer nudged his friend lightly, happy for the both of them.

Anna followed him to the sled. "Well, at least you can harvest ice." She chuckled lightly before it disappeared. "Listen, I'm sorry for what she did. Really I am."

"It's fine. I interrupted her. It's okay." He shrugged. "Besides, she still said yes."

"That's true."

Kristoff prepared to hitch the reindeer back up to the sled when he heard the great doors open again. He straightened and turned to look, just as surprised as Anna. His eyes widened as he witnessed the queen walking out toward them.

"Wait just a moment, Bjorgman." Her voice echoed in the stillness. "You're not going anywhere."

"Queen Elsa, please, he didn't—" Anna stepped forward.

"Anna." Elsa gave her a stern look before turning her attention to the ice harvester. She cleared her throat and almost seemed embarrassed. "I realized that my behavior toward you wasn't exactly…_pleasant_, and I would like to… I would like to _apologize_ for my actions." Her jaw clenched. It was painfully obvious she hardly ever admitted her mistakes or that she was ever in the wrong. "To make up for it, I would very much appreciate it if you would join me for dinner this evening." By now her cheeks were stained red.

Before he could answer, she snapped, "I'd advise you accept, seeing as how I'm the queen and all."

"Elsa!" Anna hissed.

"Anna, silence!" She turned on the girl.

Kristoff glanced at Sven, who nodded once. He shrugged. "Sure, I can make it."

"Smart man." Elsa turned sharply. "I'll see you at the appropriate time, then. Anna, make sure he is well entertained until then." She began making her to back inside.

Anna saluted her, a gleam of mischievous joy in her eyes. "Yes Your Majesty!"

"Is there a dress code, Queen Elsa?" Kristoff stepped forward. He wanted to take advantage of the situation. She appeared to be in a better mood after all, and he truly was curious.

The queen stopped, turned her head slightly to send him a cold glare, and kept walking.

"Queen Elsa?"

She sighed and whirled around. "I'm sorry, Kristoff. I was quite under the impression that if I don't answer you that obviously means that I find your question a too much of a waste of time to answer and that you should direct any and all inquiries to Anna. However, since you seem determined to further tarnish your reputation with me, then I will answer you: no, there is not a 'dress code'. However, if you really _do_ have better clothing than whatever it is you're wearing, that would be preferable. If not, it will be sufficient." She took a deep breath. "You are very lucky I'm not feeling in the mood to add another statue to my garden this afternoon, Bjorgman, otherwise you would be frozen where you stand." She turned and finally made her way inside, though not before a muttered, "Honestly, how much idiocy can one person sustain in their being…" fluttered to the pair by the sled.

Kristoff snorted through his nose. "Oh, she's pleasant."

"I think she likes you!" Anna grinned. "No really, I do. You're the first person she's ever invited to dinner. Not only that, but you even managed to make her feel guilty! That's huge! No one's ever done that before!"

"Lucky me." He turned to Sven. "Well, I guess we're staying a bit longer."

Anna scratched the reindeer beneath the chin. "He can stay in the stables. In the meantime, would you like a tour of the castle? We have some time to kill before dinner."

"Yeah, I guess. Nothing else to do, anyway." He smiled slightly.

"Follow me!" She grabbed his arm and began leading him into the castle.

Kristoff allowed her to tug him along. He felt too worried about the coming meal with the queen to think about much else. Dinner with The Snow Queen of Arendelle was the _last_ thing he wanted to do, but if she willed it, who was he to deny her?

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**I would just like to mention that I had far too much fun writing this.**

**-LoRF**


	4. If The Queen Is Dead

**Please keep in mind that I'm not very used to writing darker things, so if I'm making this too light I'm sorry. If I'm going overboard and making it too dark, I'm sorry. Just know that I apologize for my lack of experience with this! That being said, I'm glad people seem to like it so far. Please, enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing save for OCs.**

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Once they were well into the castle, Anna slowed down to a normal pace and glanced up at him. "I need to show you something, since you'll be eating with her tonight. I just…feel like you should know. Follow me." She turned sharply into a corridor.

Kristoff managed to keep up with her easily. He gazed around at the drab blue walls and dark carpets. Even the inside of the castle felt cold. "Anna, what happened here?" He asked finally, deciding to give in to his curiosity.

"Oh." Her face fell. "It wasn't always like this, you know. Arendelle, I mean. There was a time when we experienced all four seasons through the year."

"I find that hard to believe."

"Well, I can tell you the story, but I'll have to start from the beginning. It's kinda long. You sure you want to hear it?"

The ice harvester nodded. "Yes."

"Okay then." She shrugged and cleared her throat. "Back when the king and queen were still living, they hired a young man named Kai to work as their butler. Before long Kai met a servant girl that worked here as well, named Gerda, and they fell in love, got married. That sort of thing. Three years after the princess of Arendelle was born, they had me."

"So you're just a servant here?"

"Technically. But I'm getting to that part. Anyway, since I was the only kid in the castle who was even a little near Elsa's age, we started playing together. When I said that I'm her best friend, I meant it. I'm really her only friend. We grew up together, Kristoff." She smiled bitterly at the memories. "Elsa became more like an older sister to me. I could always count on her when I needed her."

He remained silent for her to go on.

"I guess this whole mess is my fault. One night I couldn't fall asleep, so I snuck into her room and convinced her to go build a snowman with me. For a while, everything was fine. We built a snowman. We played in the ballroom with her snow. _Her_ snow."

"Then what happened?"

"She struck me in the head with her magic." Anna reached up to draw attention to a white streak in her otherwise strawberry-blonde hair. "It was just an accident, but I was taken to the trolls to be cured. Fortunately Grand Pabbie managed to salvage some of my memories from my childhood, though I can't remember that particular night. They told me that Grand Pabbie said Elsa's magic would only get stronger. So they closed the gates, reduced the staff, and hid her away in the castle from the world." She swallowed hard. "She was only eight years old, Kristoff."

He felt a pang of sympathy stir in his chest. "That's pretty young…"

"She distanced herself from everybody, wearing gloves all the time to hide her ice and refusing to let anyone touch her. She shut me out for ten years, just to make sure she wouldn't hurt me again. I begged her to let me in, but no matter what I did, she wouldn't. The only times I really saw her were at her lessons, where I was to keep an eye on her in case something went wrong."

"So her parents force her into exile for ten years and she feels the need to freeze the kingdom?"

Anna shook her head. "No. Three years ago her parents were lost at sea. She didn't even attend the funeral." She took a deep breath. "My parents and I were left to bury the king and queen. When we got back to the castle, there she was, standing in the foyer like it was normal. Do you know the first thing she said to me? It was the first proper thing she'd said to me in ten years."

* * *

_Elsa inhaled deeply and approached the servant family. Her crystalline blue eyes trailed to her childhood friend. "Do you know how cold the waters are around Arendelle? My parents didn't drown, Anna; they froze to death."_

_ "E-Elsa…"_

_ "They froze, Anna." Her lips quivered as she tried to keep her composure. "Th-they… I…" She threw herself into the younger girl's arms, crying into her shoulder._

* * *

"I just let her cry, Kristoff. It was the only emotion I'd seen her have in too long and I knew she was hurting. Only a few minutes later she stood up again, said, 'Well, I suppose I have a coronation to plan' and just walked off like nothing happened." She sighed and shook her head, glancing up at him again. "I knew that the Elsa I knew and loved was gone. This new Elsa wasn't anyone I knew, but I had no idea she would do _this_.

"At her coronation she overheard some royals from other countries insulting her. I knew she was upset, but I told her just to ignore it. She's a new queen, after all; it was bound to happen, right? I don't think anything I said really got to her though. She was too far gone by that point."

* * *

_"Arendelle is a small country, Anna." Elsa clenched her jaw, her eyes narrowing._

_ "Yes, Your Majesty, but we're strong!" _

_ The queen remained silent and instead focused her attention on the royals laughing in the corner. "We are a weak country."_

_ "Erm, Your Majesty?" Anna glanced around furtively. She stepped back as Elsa stood. "What are you doing?"_

_ "I'm going to prove to them that Arendelle is a force to be reckoned with." She tossed her hands before her, two lines of ice following perfectly. _

* * *

"You mean to tell me she froze the kingdom just to prove to some snobby people that Arendelle is strong?" Kristoff scoffed and fought for words. "I can't even get my head wrapped around that."

"She froze the kingdom that night and forced any visiting royals or advisors from the neighboring kingdoms to stay and sort out new treaties with her. She realized quick enough that with Arendelle frozen, we'd need food. That's how we survive; trade. Countries want our ice and to _not_ be frozen, so they give us supplies."

He stopped as they reached the end of their journey. "What happens if they don't give in to her demands?"

Anna pushed open the doors they faced. "This."

Light from the outside poured into the corridor. For a moment Kristoff was blinded by the sun glinting off the snow. When his vision returned, he gasped. Before him lay a great frozen garden, snow and ice covering the earth and trees. It was then that he noticed the rather unnatural statues scattered around. He walked up to one of a young man. "Are these real?" He knocked on the man's forehead.

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles. He tried to kill her." Anna winced at the memory. "She didn't really like that."

"He's frozen?" Kristoff looked beyond what used to be Prince Hans to the other statues. "These used to be _people_?"

"Yeah." She walked forward amid the statues. "Most of these are from her first year as queen. She stopped freezing so many people after that. Though if she gets mad enough, she won't hesitate. One shot of ice to the heart." She placed her hand over where her heart beat in her chest. "That's all it takes. They slowly freeze to death and turn into an ice sculpture." She gestured to a nearby one of a woman cowering in fear. "Some of them freeze better than others."

He couldn't help but stare at the scene before him. Amid the snow-covered paths and dying trees, the icy benches and frozen stream, laid a couple dozen statues. He knew it wasn't even the whole garden he looked at. He swallowed hard, not wanting to do an exact head count. "She's a monster," He decided finally.

"Elsa is _not_ a monster!" Anna whirled around. "These people will thaw with the winter whenever it happens. Hopefully. That's the plan, anyway."

"Anna, look around! All I see are dead people!" He gestured uselessly to Hans. "How can you live like this and _not_ think that the queen is a terrible person?! She froze your home, terrorizes her people, threatens other countries in order to get what she wants, and might I add, she happens to be one of the most unpleasant women _I have ever encountered_!"

The girl chewed her bottom lip for a moment. "When she finally calmed down from the coronation, the two of us went to see the trolls again to find out a way to reverse it. Do you know what he told us? He told her that only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart. She thought that was ridiculous and for the past three years has been trying to find her own way to unfreeze everything. But that wasn't the only solution."

"You mean there's another way?"

Anna nodded. "The winter will end if the queen is dead."

Kristoff noticed how forlorn she looked. Stepping away from the statue of Hans, he approached her awkwardly. "So, if the queen dies, her magic dies with her?"

"Yes. Only she doesn't know this." She gazed up at him.

"Probably for the best."

"I'm the only one she has left, Kristoff. She's spent so much time alone that I'm beginning to worry it might be too late. Her heart is frozen, maybe too much for her love." Anna turned her attention to the snowy ground and shivered a bit. "Arendelle won't last much longer," She whispered. "We're getting desperate, and if our only hope is riding on Elsa falling in love, then I'm afraid we're doomed."

He didn't move, didn't say a word. Instead, he rolled his eyes to the statues again. Their cold, blue skin shone in the light, in a way that made him want to admire them further had they not been living at one time or another. Finally he turned back to her. He still couldn't bring himself to say anything, but deep down, he knew she was right.


	5. Heart of a Child

**Thanks again to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed this. I love your support and I appreciate it very much.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing save for OCs. (Which this story shouldn't really have, but just in case)**

* * *

"You said you're an ice harvester?"

Kristoff nodded and set down his glass. He swallowed the mouthful of water. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"And how long have you been doing that?" She gazed at him where he sat at her right.

"Practically my whole life."

"Mm."

They settled into an uncomfortable silence, not that the queen seemed to notice. She continued to cut into her salmon calmly as if he weren't even there. Her blue eyes were downcast, glaring into the plate with an intensity that made him glad she weren't staring at him. He watched with mild interest as a short lock of platinum hair slipped out from its pin and fell over her forehead.

"Is there something wrong?" She gazed at him now, a hint of amusement in her eyes.

"Uh, no. No, I'm fine." He turned back to his own food.

She didn't bother to fix her hair.

Kristoff picked at the salmon on his own plate before he glanced at Anna, who stood behind the queen attentively. "So, do you always eat with so many people around?" He gestured to the snow guards posted at the doors.

"Do you mean Anna?" Elsa held up a hand and twitched her fingers forward. "Anna, why don't you sit with us? Surely you must be hungry."

"Oh, I can just eat with the rest of the servants later." She smiled brightly.

The queen looked up. "I insist."

"Very well." She plopped down in the chair on Elsa's left.

"Guard, send for the cook. We need another plate." The snow queen shot her order over her shoulder. A moment later the door opened and shut and she turned back to her guest. "I don't consider my guards to be _people_, Mr. Bjorgman. But, I ask Anna to stay with me during meals in case I need her. Besides… I need someone to talk to."

Kristoff almost gasped at how positively human the queen became in that moment. He never considered her as a fellow human being who, like everyone else, had need of social interaction. The way the queen and the servant smiled at one another cemented Anna's claim of their friendship. "Right. That makes sense."

With Anna at her side, Elsa seemed to relax. "So, Bjorgman, did you enjoy your tour of the castle?"

"We mostly stuck around the, uh…"

"I showed him the gardens." Anna nodded in thanks to the other servant that brought her a plate of hot food and a drink. "Thanks, Mom."

Elsa glanced at the woman. "Indeed, thank you Gerda."

"Anytime, Your Majesty," The woman murmured and bowed out of the room.

The queen leaned her chin on her fist as her other hand gripped her fork. "I know, I heard."

"You heard us?" Anna swallowed hard and the color drained from her face.

Kristoff felt his throat go dry. "Y-Your Majesty, we didn't mean—"

"Well, I heard voices and I only assumed it was you two. I wasn't paying much attention; my novel was quite entertaining." She stabbed a bite of salmon. "There is a small section of my gardens that I keep clear of statues, Mr. Bjorgman, if you were wondering. I enjoy reading there."

He nodded. "Yes, thanks."

Anna cleared her throat. "So, how long are you planning on staying in Arendelle?" She turned her attention to the ice harvester.

"I'm not sure. I figured until I have enough ice to sell." He thought a moment. "Not sure how long that'll take."

"Oh, I see—"

A clap of thunder interrupted their conversation. Elsa whipped her head up to gaze out the window behind Kristoff. She frowned deeply. "I hate summer storms… They always turn to hail or sleet here." Sighing, she shifted her eyes to him. "Well, you seem to be staying here for the night."

"Don't worry about it, please, Your Majesty. I can make it through."

"I insist. I wouldn't want you to be harmed simply because I tossed you out of my home." She evened her gaze with him.

For a moment he imagined he could see kindness in her expression. He clenched his jaw and nodded again. She smirked. "Wonderful. Anna, when you've finished, please ensure that a room is prepared for Mr. Bjorgman."

"Actually, if it's all right, I'll just stay in the stables with Sven." He glanced between the two girls.

"Who is Sven?" Elsa raised her eyebrows doubtfully.

"My reindeer."

"Ah." She seemed to debate with herself before finally nodding. "If that is what you really, truly want, then who am I to stop you? By all means, stay with your reindeer. Should you change your mind, just let one of the servants know. We'll have a room prepared for you just in case."

Anna smirked and busied herself with her food. "You're awfully generous today, Your Majesty."

"I'm not about to send him out to his death in _this_ kind of weather, Anna." Elsa fidgeted slightly, her cheeks taking on a pink hue. "I'm not cruel."

Kristoff fought the urge to snort. The _Snow Queen_ just insinuated that freezing an entire country and multiple people granted her the exemption from being cruel. However, by the way she nervously picked at the remains of her salmon and—_Is her hand shaking?_ when she picked up her glass, he could tell she wasn't used to being called out on whatever small gestures of kindness she distributed. She wanted so much to be good, but unfortunately had to maintain a persona of cruelty and evil, he realized.

Just _who_ exactly did that make Elsa, then?

"Thank you very much, You Majesty." He sent her a small smile.

She about choked. Coughing awkwardly, she pushed back the chair and stood. "Yes, well, my pleasure, I'm sure. Enjoy your dinner. I have some work to finish." She hurried from the room, the door slamming shut behind her as she left.

Anna grinned across the table to the ice harvester. "Told you she could be kind sometimes."

"You didn't tell me she's so skittish."

"Well… That's just a bonus, I guess." The servant girl gazed in the direction the queen left. "I wonder why she's so worked up, though… Normally she handles gratitude a little better than that. Maybe she was just uncomfortable."

Kristoff nodded. "That's probably what it was." He decided it would be best not to comment on the queen's slowly reddening cheeks or the way her hands shook. The frost of the table around her plate would be all the evidence they needed. Yes, Elsa was uncomfortable; but perhaps for a different reason than they wanted to admit.

* * *

Sven nudged the sleeping mountain man roughly. "Sven, stop…" He moaned, turning over in the hay.

The reindeer grunted again, getting up and pawing the dirt. He bleated and motioned to the door of the stables. Kristoff rubbed his face as he pushed himself up. "What do you want?" He blinked in the darkness.

Sven tossed his head toward the door again.

"All right, I'm coming…" He yawned as he stood, stretching the muscles in his back and shoulders. Pushing open the top of the door, he gasped.

Half of the courtyard was covered in ice, forming a sort of ice rink. Ice statues littered the area, but he knew they were not real people. He recognized Anna in many of them and even a few of the queen. His gaze flitted around until he found her.

Elsa slid around a pair of statues on the ice, barefoot and in nothing more than a nightgown. She examined the two little girls, frozen in eternal play. With a flick of her wrist she shot more ice onto the small girl's head and created a second pigtail. "There." She stopped and placed a hand on the other's head.

He slid open the bottom half of the door and crept into the courtyard. He shivered; the ice around him didn't do much to aid the cool summer night. The ice harvester stuck to the shadows as he watched her.

A look of sadness crossed the queen's face before she turned around. Another statue, one of Anna, greeted her. She pushed past it and began gliding around again. She took off in a run, leaving a trail of frost behind her as she ventured into other parts of the courtyard. Jumping up, she shot a blast of ice to cover the cobblestone.

Kristoff's eyes widened as he realized what she was doing. She was _playing_. Elsa, queen of Arendelle, was _playing_ on the ice. He heard a clear laugh echo through the courtyard as she landed gracefully and continued on. She seemed to be enjoying herself at least. He stepped forward to better watch her. As he did so, his boot nudged an icicle across the ground.

She stopped immediately and shot her magic in his direction. He ducked down to avoid getting hit. "Who's there?! She demanded, her hands raised as she made her way to the castle. "Answer me!"

Her voice took on the authoritative tone she used when speaking to her servants. He stayed down in hiding. "Show yourself!" She shouted, though this time the words shook as if she were afraid.

Elsa reached the steps leading into the castle. She glanced around furtively before slipping in. He waited a few minutes to ensure she was gone before he left the safety of the shadows. A large ice spike protruded behind him, but he tried to push the thought to the back of his mind.

Though she played, she could also _kill_.

Kristoff fought to keep his footing on the ice as he walked around her statues. Plenty of them were made in Anna's image, and most of them she was smiling happily. One of them was even whistling by the way her lips were pursed. There were a few others of servants he didn't recognize.

He came upon the two statues she had been working on when he discovered her. His eyes widened as he noticed the eerie similarity between one of the young girls and the queen. The two were building a snowman, frozen balls of snow in their arms. "Elsa and Anna…" He whispered, realizing she made a statue of her memory.

Looking around, he saw few other statues she created in her own image. Unlike the actual queen, however, these were dark, imposing. They were her mental image of herself as a monster. As he stood in the middle of the courtyard, he couldn't help but admit her artistry was beautiful. The ice, flawless and clear as crystal, seemed to shine in the moonlight. If a person like her could make something so personal and stunning, why couldn't she let other people in her obviously passionate heart?


	6. Pawn

**By the way, I would suggest looking up how to play chess if you don't already know. There's a huge chess game in this chapter and it may make a little more sense if you know the general rules. That said, please, enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing save for OCs.**

* * *

Elsa folded her hands neatly behind her back as she watched the ice harvester ride out the gates. "Well. There he goes." She sighed softly.

"Are you going to miss him?" Anna, who stood beside her, tilted her head. "You can't deny he was cute."

"We hardly know each other, Anna. Forcing him to join me for dinner and to spend the night were mistakes."

The servant girl gazed up at her. "Why do you say that?" She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"He was bored. And I left in the middle of it." Elsa clenched her jaw. "It was a mistake. I should have let him go instead of forcing him to do something he didn't want to." She glanced sideways. "You could see it in his eyes, couldn't you? The whole thing was unbearably awkward. I'm glad to see him go."

Anna followed the queen inside from the balcony. She chewed the inside of her cheek for a moment before she grinned. "You _like_ him."

"Don't be ridiculous. If anything I'm beginning to wonder if you're the one infatuated with him." The older girl allowed herself a small smile. "But to satisfy you, I will admit he was easy on the eyes, yes."

"Knew it." Anna nudged her playfully.

"Hmph." She jerked away from the servant and instead went to her desk, where a small stack of papers awaited her. "Anna?"

The strawberry-blonde stepped forward. "Yes, Your Majesty?"

"Would you be so kind as to make me some tea?"

"You… You're _asking_ me?"

Elsa turned her head to stare at her friend. "Yes, of course. Please."

"Right away, Your Majesty!" The girl saluted her as their private joke. She scurried out of the study and down the corridor.

The queen closed the door behind her. "Hm…" She turned back to the balcony and stepped outside again. Though Kristoff was long gone, she still gazed after him. Somewhere in the winter wonderland of Arendelle she knew he was busy harvesting ice. "Good luck," She whispered, fully aware of the dangers of the cold.

* * *

"Your turn."

Anna concentrated hard on her next move. The tip of her pink tongue appeared between her lips, causing Elsa to smirk again. "Anna, please, it's not that kind of game."

"But you're winning!" The girl reached out for one of her few pawns left and moved it a space forward. "There."

"Check, again." Elsa rested her chin on her fist. "You're improving. Normally I would have slaughtered you a few moves ago."

In the fortnight after Kristoff's arrival and departure, life returned as normal to Arendelle Castle. Elsa contented herself by diving into her queenly duties and rousing matches of chess in her free time. Since Anna was usually the only person available to face her, she endured countless hours of the game. Consequently her skill had improved, but it would be some time before she could hope to best the queen more than twice in a row.

Anna scanned the board critically. "Ngh…" Her fingers trembled as she hovered over her knight.

"Are you _sure_ you want to play him?"

The girl nodded and moved the knight. She crossed her arms smugly. "I've grown immune to your silly mind-tricks, Elsa."

"Sometimes they aren't so silly." With a flick of her wrist, Elsa pushed her queen forward, toppling the poor knight and putting Anna's king in a tough position. "Checkmate."

"B-but…!" She desperately moved her king up one space. "There!"

"No matter where you move, Anna," Elsa's voice was low and patient as she moved the queen accordingly, "I can win."

The strawberry-blonde groaned in exasperation. "Man…"

"You're getting better; don't worry. Perhaps someday we'll be able to make the game last more than a half hour. Those are when it starts to get exciting."

"You don't say…"

Elsa began resetting the board. "I know you're bored, Anna. I apologize."

"You've been doing that a lot."

She looked up, confusion in her eyes. "Doing what, pray tell?"

Anna shrugged. "You know, apologizing. _Asking_ for things instead of demanding them. You seem more patient than usual, too."

"Well, I'm content. I've been in a good mood lately, I suppose." She smiled slightly. "Do you think I'm ill?"

The servant girl was silent for a moment before she laughed. "I think you're fine."

As the two were about to begin yet another game, the door to the library opened and revealed a servant. "Your Majesty?" He stepped into the room.

"What is it, Kai?" She stood to meet him.

"Ah… The Duke of Weselton is here to see you."

She glanced to Anna. "The Duke…? Anna, was he scheduled to come?"

"It was an emergency stop, Your Majesty." He turned to the corridor. "He awaits you in the throne room with an explanation."

"He better have a good reason for showing up uninvited." Elsa followed Anna's father into the hallway and through the castle. "Did he give you any sort of explanation?" She kept up with him easily.

He shook his head. "No, Your Majesty."

"Very well." She slid her face into its normal neutral expression as they neared the throne room.

The two snowmen standing guard saw her coming and opened the double doors for her. The queen folded her hands behind her back. "Good afternoon, gentlemen." She allowed her gaze to flit over the three men standing in the middle of the room.

"Good afternoon, Your Majesty." The shortest of the bunch, a thin man with spectacles perched on his beak-like nose and a compensating mustache, bowed to her. "Pardon our intrusion."

"I may." Standing taller than he did gave her the advantage of glaring down at the duke. "Please, I'm ready to listen to your excuse any time."

He nodded. "Of course." Clearing his throat, he gazed up at her. "We were sailing back to Weselton when a storm damaged our ship. We couldn't possibly make it home in our condition and your port was the nearest one. Rest assured we will take our leave as soon as we are able."

"By all means, take as much time as you need." She glanced at the two burly men standing behind him. "As our closest partner in trade, I would so hate for any harm to come to you."

"Thank you very much, Your Majesty. Your hospitality will not go unforgotten." He smiled at her, charmingly, she supposed, though it served instead for her to feel increasingly uncomfortable.

She cleared her throat awkwardly and turned to the servants. "Anna, Kai, would you see to it that our guests' rooms are prepared? Don't forget to alert the kitchens, either."

"Yes Your Majesty." Kai bowed stiffly. "Anna, stay with the queen." He hurried from the room.

Anna nodded and took up her usual spot at the queen's side.

The Duke looked up at Elsa. "I hope we didn't interrupt anything."

"No. Anna and I were about to start another game of chess, that's all." She shifted from foot to foot.

"How wonderful. I consider myself quite a whiz at chess, you know." He drew himself up proudly. "Do you mind if I cut in, young lady?"

"M-me?" Anna pointed to herself. "Well, no, I don't mind. Go ahead. I'm terrible at chess anyway."

He grinned. "Lead the way, Your Majesty!"

Elsa stopped herself from grimacing and inhaled sharply. "Right." She turned to exit the throne room, patiently waiting for him to finish his instruction to his men before continuing on down the corridors. She managed to nod at the appropriate time during his story; of what, she couldn't tell you, but it sounded dreadfully boring.

Anna opened the library door for them and closed it after walking in herself. She stifled a giggle as the duke made himself perfectly comfortable before the chessboard. "I never knew you to be a player, Your Majesty!" He picked up one of the ivory pawns. "This is an exquisite set."

"It was my father's." She sat across from him. "As my guest I insist you take the white."

"Of course." He replaced it and stroked his chin as he pondered his move. Picking up a different pawn, he looked up at her. "So, do you play often?"

She nodded. "Every day." Her long fingers gripped her own pawn by the head and slid it forward. "Though I don't always play with Anna. In my youth my father and I would sit for hours here and face each other."

"Then you are going to be a worthy opponent." Having already moved a pawn, he went for his knight next.

"I suppose you can assume that." She pushed her bishop up.

The Duke went to move another one of his pawns. "How has Arendelle been faring since my last visit, if I may be so bold to ask?"

"Nothing has changed."

"The winter still rages?"

Elsa's fingers stalled over her bishop. She moved to her knight and slid it in an L formation on the board. "…Yes."

"Terrible thing, that. Don't you think?" He casually continued to slowly advance his pawns toward her side of the board.

Her eyes clouded with suppressed annoyance. "No. Winter, though dangerous, has a hidden beauty that is unlike anything this world has witnessed." She gestured toward him, a few stray snowflakes fluttering from her fingertips. "Your move, sir."

He calmly went about taking his turn. "Though winter is often considered a time of death. People fall ill, plants and trees wither, that sort of thing. I'm sure you're well acquainted with it."

"Yet it has an underappreciated beauty." She aggressively moved a random piece. "Each snowflake is expertly crafted to be different and unique."

"Pity they are too small for anyone to notice." He deftly knocked one of her pawns over. "I seem to have made the first attack of the game."

Elsa clenched her jaw, her eyes narrowing. "Indeed."

"Though I must assume that none of this has happened in Arendelle these past three years."

She exhaled slowly. "Of course not. At first there were some minor difficulties, but now I have everything under control." As she took her hand away from the chess piece, the frost that gathered on it glittered in the light.

"Wonderful." He moved his knight forward and effectively took out another one of her pawns.

Anna watched with wide eyes as the game progressed. Elsa, who was normally calm and level-headed, kept making worse mistakes; mistakes even the servant girl knew not to make. She could hardly believe it as the Duke knocked out more and more of her pieces where the queen hardly made a dent in his.

"I am so happy to know that the kingdom is blossoming beneath your rule." He flicked over one of her rooks with his knight.

"It _is_." She gritted her teeth and slid her last bishop up next to the king in hopes to put him into check.

He simply pushed it out of the way with his queen. "You seem to be having some difficulty."

"_I have a bit of a headache_," She growled. In one last attempt to defeat him, she moved her last pawn up a space.

The Duke smirked. Wrapping his gloved fingers around his queen, he moved it straight at her king. "Checkmate, Your Majesty."

She could only watch helplessly as the wooden chess piece fell to the board with a hollow thud. A pawn, a knight, and a rook were her only defenses opposed to his veritable army, and she somehow felt she'd let them all down. Her shoulders slumped in defeat and she sighed. "Checkmate."


	7. The Siege

**I know it's short. It's supposed to be short. (almost) Everything in this story is done for a reason, much like the movie.**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing save for OCs, though I don't think there will be any here.**

* * *

The first explosion took place so deep within the castle that at first Elsa thought herself to be imagining things. She turned her gaze to Anna, who stood next to her throne. "Anna, did you hear anything?"

"Yes, I did…" The servant girl glanced around warily.

Elsa stood and briskly walked to the two guards by the doors. "Go find out what's going on. I want a full report."

"Yes ma'am!" They bowed out and disappeared into the corridor.

Another explosion rocked the castle, only it sounded much closer. The ground shook slightly beneath them. "What the hell…" She waited until the floor was still before she dashed to her friend's side. "What is going on?!"

"I don't know!" Anna cried, fearful for her life.

The doors burst open again and both women turned to look. Only one snowman made it back. "Ma'am, the—"

Flames engulfed the guard, causing him to melt in the doorway. Elsa gasped and held out one hand before her and the other to stop Anna. "Stay back," She ordered, her eyes narrowed. "I don't know what this is, but I don't want you getting hurt."

"E-Elsa…"

"Just listen to me!"

The girl ducked her head in obedience.

When the smoke cleared, the Duke of Weselton and some of his men stepped into the throne room. "Queen Elsa." He smiled easily at her. "How nice to see you."

"What is the meaning of this?!" She glared at the men.

"It's simple, Your Majesty." He took a few steps closer to her. "You see, you have held Weselton under your grip for three long years, and quite frankly, we've grown tired of your childish games." He held out his hand, into which one of the men pressed a spherical object. "Our military has spent a lot of time trying to find a way to stop you, my queen."

She glanced at the object. Mist formed before her palm as she prepared to blast them all with ice. "What is that?"

"Tell me, Queen Elsa, how do you get rid of ice and snow?"

"I ask again, _what is that_?"

The Duke smirked. "You melt it with fire." He pulled the pin from the weapon and lobbed it at her.

Elsa was quick to react, however, and wasted no time in shooting ice at it midair. It fell to the ground with a metallic thud. "Your ball doesn't seem to be very effective, sir."

"Oh really?" He gestured to it.

She watched in wonder as it lay very still on the ground. She took a cautionary step toward the strange and foreign object. Before she had time to scurry back to safety, it exploded in a shower of ice and fire. She felt herself be knocked back against her throne.

"Elsa!"

The queen shook her head to clear the ringing in her ears. She felt herself be roughly pulled to her feet by Anna. Blinking rapidly, she looked at the duke. "What is this magic?!"

"A technology far beyond anything Arendelle could hope to counter." He turned his head to his men. "Kill the queen. I don't care what happens to the servant girl, but the queen must die."

As if on cue they threw more of the fire spheres at them. Anna gasped and began to shove Elsa toward the back of the throne room. "Run!"

"But Anna—"

"Go! I'll be all right!"

Elsa fought against her grip. "I'm not leaving without you!" She gazed at her one and only friend desperately just before one of the balls exploded, obscuring her vision with smoke.

"Yes, you are." The servant pushed her through the hidden door. "Get away from here!"

"Anna!" Elsa gasped as she heard the girl's cry of surprise, assumedly grabbed by the duke's henchmen. She glanced around before she ran off through the corridors.

Behind her, she could already hear the footfalls of more Weselton guards. She turned a corner to see a group of them. "There she is!" One bellowed, charging at her.

"Stay away from me!" The queen shouted. She shot a blast of ice at them, trapping them all behind a thick wall. However, she noticed too late yet another one of their strange weapons at her feet until she was blown backwards.

Her vision grew hazy and she could see the men advancing toward her. Their voices were muffled, very much as if she were underwater.

"…sa…!"

She tried to find the source of the voice.

"Elsa!"

Her gaze flickered. She felt someone grab her chin. "Kai…?" She rasped.

"Elsa, come with me!" He helped her to her feet.

She glanced over her shoulder to see the men fighting off two of her snowman guards. "Kai, what…" Her arm was slung across his shoulders and her feet dragged the ground.

"Snap out of it!" He grunted, half-carrying her away as quickly as he could. "You have to escape here. Without you Arendelle is going to be in a worse state than it is now. The Duke has already taken the castle, but he can't take your life."

She slowly regained her senses, though much of what he said was lost on her. "Kai, I don't…"

"You have to survive, do you understand me?!" He whirled her around and gripped her upper arms. "Elsa, my daughter never gave up on you for God knows why, but I'm going to trust her." He turned his head as he heard more guards. Pressing her into an alcove, he continued his instructions. "You have to get away from here."

"Where's Anna?" She asked, breathless.

He shook his head. "That's not important! Are you listening to me?"

She nodded weakly. "I'm sorry…"

"Run across the fjord toward the North Mountain. You should come upon a place called Wandering Oaken's Trading Post. Stay there until one of us comes to get you." He looked into the hallway. "All right. Do you know how to get to the fjord from here?"

She looked around, noting she was near the ballroom. If she could manage to get to the courtyard, there was a side passage that led straight to the fjord. Nodding, she asked, "Why are you doing this for me?"

"Because, Your Majesty, there must surely be some good left in you if Anna is willing to put her life on the line." He offered her a strained smile before he stepped into the light. "Run!" He took off in the opposite direction.

Elsa took a deep breath before she dashed toward the ballroom. The corridors, once filled with the bright light of the sun, were gray and cold. Her heart leapt to her throat with each step she took. Her shoes, normally so quiet, gave away her position to every guard in the castle with the eye to kill her. She kept her hands at the ready in case she needed to defend herself…or potentially act on the offensive.

To her relief she managed to make it through the ballroom before more men spotted her. It was an accident, really; they saw her by the flap of her cape as she disappeared around another corner. She couldn't keep the panic from her body as she heard them shouting and another sphere exploded behind her. She forced her legs to run faster.

As she burst out the front doors, she saw the ruined remains of much of her snowman army. "No…" She stared helplessly at them, melting before her in the small flames. The Duke came prepared for this, she knew; the ship was headed for her all along. She wanted to scream in frustration at not figuring it out sooner.

Elsa didn't get the chance, however, as the men threatened to catch up with her. She took off again and headed straight for the passage that would lead to her freedom. Just as she could see the ice of the fjord, someone grabbed her cape and yanked her back. She gasped as it tightened around her neck. Her fingers scrabbled to unclasp it.

"Finally!" A man grumbled, whirling her around.

She managed to undo the jewel and wriggle away from him. "Get away from me!" She ordered, her voice shaky and breathless from running.

"Or what?" He smiled cockily at her. "Heh. I'm gonna get a hell of a raise for catchin' the Snow Queen."

"Don't say I didn't warn you." She slammed her palm against his chest over his heart and channeled her ice through her hand.

His eyes widened and he stumbled back, grasping at his chest. She wasted no time in whirling around to continue running. As soon as her feet touched fjord, she felt she could slow down and catch her breath, if only a little. She risked a look back at her castle.

The group of men appeared in the entrance of the passage. "There she goes!"

Elsa immediately pushed herself to run again, even as she felt and heard another explosion behind her. It flung her to the ice, sending her skidding across the waters. She managed to push herself up and disappear into the forest on the other side. The snow was thicker here, harder to run through; yet she pushed one, even when she felt her body threatening to collapse beneath her.

The queen stopped a moment to rest against a tree, sliding down the trunk. She put a hand to her head and felt something warm sticking to her fingertips. Upon inspection she exhaled sharply. _Blood._ She allowed her unconsciousness to claim her, her vision going dark and her mind shutting down.

* * *

**By the way, I have three different stories going on simultaneously, so I apologize if I get behind in this story. Rest assured I will continue to update it, but very irregularly. I just sort of update as I type.**


	8. To the North Mountain

**There is a whole lot of stuff happening in this chapter. Sorry it took me so long. This was a bit difficult to write. Anyway, please enjoy.**

**Disclaimer: I only own OCs should they appear.**

* * *

She forced her eyes to open. "M-Mom?" She rasped, her vision blurred.

"I'm here, Anna." The woman smiled.

"What happened?"

A man who leaned against the wall grunted. "The Duke threw you in the dungeon after he found out Elsa escaped. We managed to convince him to let us be with you so we could tend to you." He walked toward her, kneeling at her side. "Are you feeling better?"

"I don't know…" With Gerda's help, she managed to sit up. Her muscles burned with exertion and she noticed her left arm hung uselessly in a sling around her neck. "Where's the queen?"

"I directed her to Oaken's. She's long gone." Kai gently placed his hand on her knee. "You need to rest."

She shook her head weakly. "I need to get to Elsa!" She attempted to stand, though a splitting pain in her side stopped her.

"Anna, you'll only hurt yourself." Gerda pulled her back.

Anna, however, remained unperturbed. "Elsa is out there alone and possibly hurt. She won't survive on her own! She needs my help!"

"The queen will be just fine." Her father shook his head. "You forget how strong she is."

"She's lived her whole life in a castle. She doesn't know the way to Oaken's, but I do." Anna gripped his sleeve weakly. "Please, you have to let me go!"

A new voice interrupted their conversation. "Well, you can't really go anywhere."

She stared at the snowman on the other side of the bars. A memory tugged at her. She got the vague image of two little girls playing in the snow, building a snowman. "…Olaf?" She asked finally.

He nodded. "Yep, that's me!"

"Olaf, don't you remember me?" She gazed at him.

"Let's see…" He tapped his chin with his stick fingers. "Oh! Ooohhh! You were with Elsa when she made me! Yeah! You're… You're Anna!"

She nodded. "Right. What are you doing down here?"

His smile vanished and he kicked at the ground with his stubby legs. "All the other snowmen are way bigger than me, so I stay down here out of their way."

"Olaf, there are no more big snowmen. The Duke of Weselton has taken over the castle." Kai took a deep breath. "Queen Elsa has fled. As of right now, we can only assume she made it to Oaken's."

The snowman sunk to the floor of the dungeon, his back resting against the bars of the cell. "Oh…" He stared woefully back at the small family. "This is bad."

"Which is why you have to let me go." Anna managed to lurch to her feet, leaning heavily on her mother for support. "I can get t-to Oaken's…" Her voice trailed off into a moan.

"Absolutely not. You're in no condition to travel." Kai prepared to sweep her into his arms to place her back on the cot.

"It's not that far away." The servant girl swallowed hard and jerked away from him. "Please, Dad… I can make it. Then when at Oaken's I'll rest. I promise. I'll be all right. I can't let this stop me."

"A broken arm and deep cuts all over the place…" He hardened his gaze. "Even if you think you can go, how are you supposed to leave?"

"Oh, I can help with that!" Olaf giggled as he removed his nose and stuck it in the lock on the cell door. Soon enough it swung open. "See?"

Anna smirked. "See?"

"You're not going alone. I'll join you." Kai glanced at his wife.

"No, you need to stay here. The Duke will get suspicious if you two are gone too." Anna looked to the snowman. "Besides, I know the perfect escort."

Olaf glanced around before he pointed to himself. "Me?"

* * *

"_You don't have any idea where you are._"

Elsa gritted her teeth. "Shut up. I'm fine."

"_You're lost._"

"I am _not_ lost!"

"_Oh, you meant to get all the way to the North Mountain? Smart move._"

The queen blew some hair from her face and continued to trudge along in the snow. Since reawakening, a nagging voice in the back of her mind wouldn't stop mocking her. She attributed it to some sort of head trauma at first, but now she felt inclined to admit she was going insane. "I meant to get to wherever I am."

The voice snickered. "_Don't lie, Elsie._"

"For the hundredth time, don't call me that!"

"_Oh, Elsie knows how to count now?_"

Elsa growled in aggravation and gripped the sides of her head. "Silence!" She shouted, falling to her knees. Her hollow voice echoed around her.

A few moments passed before the voice piped up again. "_In all seriousness, you're going to die._"

"I'm not going to die." She huffed and stood up again, continuing her journey.

"_You need shelter, food, and water if you want to survive._"

"I can melt ice for water. I don't need food."

"_No offence, but you're not exactly large enough to be able to feed off your own body. Maybe you shouldn't have skipped all those desserts and given them to Anna, huh?_"

She frowned slightly. "It's not as if I knew I was going to end up all the way out here. And I haven't given Anna dessert in years."

"_You're right; you make her give you everything now, don't you? You're going to die out here alone. You know she's probably dead too. Probably captured by the Duke, sentenced to hang, or rot in the dungeons…provided she lived through the attack._"

"I am not going to die out here, Anna is _not _dead, and I am going to find my way back home eventually."

"_Or you could just stay out here. Look around, Elsa. You're completely alone._"

The queen stopped walking. Gazing around her, she saw that indeed she was the only person in miles on the mountain. She felt a soft breeze coming from further up the mountain, where the wind was stronger. Normal people would have felt chilled, but her only annoyance was that of her hair as the pins fell out one by one on her journey. She reached up to brush her bangs from her eyes. "I am…"

"_Then you're going to need shelter. And water. And food. Or else you really _will_ die._"

Elsa glanced around for a moment before she spotted a rather large chasm before her. The outcropping on the other side looked large enough for her to perform her work. She ran to the very edge of the side she stood on and thrust her hands before her. A rudimentary staircase formed about halfway across.

"_There you go._"

She placed her foot down on the first step. Frost flew up around her, leaving a crystal-clear stair in its place. With a smirk she ran up as fast she could force herself to go, her arms outstretched to continue forming the staircase. Upon her arrival to the other side, she looked around the white expanse. "Hm."

"_Every queen needs a castle._"

"Even in a kingdom of isolation." She stood in the middle of the outcropping and stomped the ground, ice spiraling out from under her.

* * *

Kristoff waved back at his friend as he walked down the wooden steps. "Thanks again, Oaken!"

"Not a problem, _ja_?" The large man waggled his fingers in response.

Sven tromped up to the ice harvester, sniffing him. He grunted in annoyance at not finding anything. Kristoff laughed and pulled out a carrot from his bag. "Looking for this?"

The reindeer bit off the carrot in his hand. He nodded his great head up and down as he chewed happily. Kristoff bit off the next piece. "All right buddy, ready to hit the road?"

"_You know I'm always ready to go!_" Sven brightened as his friend used the special 'reindeer' voice.

He laughed. "Let's get going then." He hitched up the animal to the sleigh and jumped up on the driver's bench. With a flick of the reins, he ordered Sven to start walking.

After a few weeks harvesting ice around Arendelle, he stockpiled enough to go sell to some of the warmer villages that weren't affected by the queen's winter. Stopping at Oaken's for supplies for his long journey, he felt confident in the cold wilderness. He had more than enough carrots for Sven and enough food for himself to last quite some time, just in case of a storm.

"Just keep going!"

Kristoff pulled back on the reins slightly. "Did you hear that, Sven?"

The reindeer looked around as he walked slowly on.

"Olaf, I c-can't…"

"Come on, Anna!"

"Anna…?" The name sounded familiar to him. He wracked his brain for any memory of a girl called Anna. The image of a young woman in pigtails flashed through his mind. _"Welcome to Arendelle!"_ She'd said, smiling happily even though the Snow Queen essentially ruined her life and everyone else's.

Kristoff steered Sven toward the voices. His eyes widened as he saw red stains dotting the snow. _Blood…_ "Faster, Sven!" He flicked the reins.

The reindeer obeyed immediately, shooting into a gallop.

He narrowed his eyes as they sped along, gazing through the trees for the girl. When she flashed by, he stopped the sleigh. "Follow me!" He ordered, jumping down and trudging through the snow. His loyal friend followed as well as he could.

Kristoff finally saw her slowly making her way through the forest. She seemed to be using a walking snowman for support. He shook his head. After meeting with the queen, the snowman shouldn't surprise him. Instead he dashed forward. "Anna!"

She turned around slowly. Relief flickered across her face. "Kristoff!" She gasped. Lurching toward him, she collapsed in his arms.

"What happened to you…?" He saw the blood staining her dress from a wound in her side. "Never mind about that." He swiftly picked her up.

"Hey! What are you doing with her?!" The snowman waddled after him.

"I'm taking her to Oaken's, where she'll be safe." He climbed onto the driver's bench again on his sleigh. "If you want to come along, I suggest getting in the back."

He waited until the snowman was firmly settled amongst the ice blocks in the back before he ordered Sven to head back to Wandering Oaken's Trading Post (And Sauna). Glancing down at the girl in his lap, he asked his question again. "What happened to you?"

She gripped his shirt with her right hand, as her left was confined to a sling—her arm must have been injured, he surmised. "The Duke of Weselton…attacked us." She gritted her teeth as the sleigh ride jarred her body. "He had these weapons that made fire."

"Why didn't the queen stop him?"

"I had to get her to s-safety. She escaped."

His eyes narrowed. "Leaving you behind?"

"I told her to." Anna shook her head weakly. "I had to keep her safe."

"You shouldn't be out here. You're hurt pretty badly." He didn't know the extent of her injuries, but the way she whimpered in his arms gave him the impression that she was definitely in no condition to be moving.

She growled lowly. "I have to get to Elsa. She's at Oaken's, waiting for me."

Kristoff glanced at her. "Anna… The queen isn't at Oaken's. I just came from there."

The fear that crossed her face at that moment was something he had never seen before. She huddled against him. "No…" She moaned. "No, damn it Elsa!"

He fought for words as she shivered, whimpering and mumbling the queen's name. Never before in his life had he seen someone in such anguish. As much as he wanted to get going to sell his ice, he knew that if someone didn't step up, Arendelle would be doomed. His eyes narrowed. This was the _Snow Queen_ he was thinking of, the woman who snubbed him and forced him to dinner; but also the woman who played like a child with her flawless ice and almost seemed a genuine person.

If nothing more, he could do it for Anna, who was slowly slipping away with each passing moment. He shook her gently. "Anna?"

"Huh?" Her turquoise eyes cracked open.

"I'll look for her. Do you have any idea where she could be?"

"Dad told her to go toward the North Mountain…" She turned her head slightly toward the towering mountain. "She couldn't have gone far."

He nodded. "Then I'll start my search there. If I find her, can you come for us when you're recovered?"

"Y-yes…" Her eyes fluttered shut again just as the sleigh pulled into the clearing where Oaken had his shop set up.

Kristoff clenched his jaw and sent a wary glance up to the North Mountain. If the queen truly were there, then he didn't have much time to get to her. The wilderness was a dangerous place. Ice powers or not, she needed him. Provided she wasn't already dead, of course.

* * *

**So Anna is near-death, Elsa is going insane, and Kristoff is finding himself in a difficult position. Sounds good to me.**

**Now the _real_ fun can start.**

**-LoRF**


	9. You Need Me (Unfortunately)

**I apologize for the wait and the briefness of this chapter. I'm having some difficulty transitioning out of writing _Not Like the Rest_. I promise to get back into the swing of things soon. Thank you for all your support and I hope you enjoy the chapter. **

**Disclaimer: I own nothing save for OCs.**

* * *

"_Would you just admit that you're still going to die out here?_"

Elsa paced back and forth in the upstairs room. She supposed that when she made it, she meant for it to be a ballroom of sorts; a chandelier hung from the ceiling and the walls were as mirrors. Instead it served as a place for her to argue with herself. "I'm not going to die."

"_Okay, fine. You've got shelter. You've got water, kind of. What about food?_ "

"I'll find something, I'm sure." She looked up at her reflection, who gazed back.

Just then one of the many reflections crossed its arms in the corner of her eye. "_Listen, if you die, I die too!_"

She whirled around and the reflection matched her. She frowned slightly. "That wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing."

"_Aren't you just so funny?_"

"I'm not kidding." Elsa went back to her pacing. "Perhaps then Arendelle would be a much better, happier place. If that's even possible at this point."

"_Three years of cold is a pretty long time._"

"Yes, I'm well aware." She narrowed her eyes. "Why do you think—"

Her conversation was interrupted by the sound of someone knocking at her door. She whirled around, facing the staircase that would take her to her foyer. Another knock echoed around her; a single, heavy knock that shook her to her very core.

"_Someone's here, Elsie._"

"I know." She crept her way to the staircase, leaning over the edge. With a flick of her wrist she opened the giant doors.

Her crystal blue eyes widened only a margin as her guests walked in. A man, dressed in furs from head to toe, and a scruffy reindeer stepped gingerly over the ice. The animal slipped; his master grabbed him. "Whoa Sven."

_Sven…_ She took another cautionary step down the staircase. The name sounded vaguely familiar to her, as if she had heard it in passing. Yet none of the servants, to her knowledge, were named Sven. And certainly Anna wouldn't come to her with tales of a _reindeer_.

The man pulled down the cloth around his face and took a deep breath. "She's gotta be here. Who else could make a castle of ice?" He looked around, walking carefully on the ice. "I mean, look at this! Flawless, clear… It's _perfect_."

Elsa smiled slightly in spite of herself. She hadn't heard anyone praise her work since the day she nearly killed Anna. Sliding back into her neutral expression, she straightened and continued her calm walk down the staircase, one hand sliding down the banister. "Who are you?" She demanded, her voice carrying throughout the castle. She hid a wince at how weak she sounded.

He whipped around to face her. "Queen Elsa?"

"I did not ask you for _my_ name; I asked for _yours_." The queen shot him a glare. "So I'll ask one, last time. _Who are you_?"

The man bowed slightly. "Kristoff Bjorgman, at your service."

Her eyes widened. "Mr. Bjorgman! That's right. You're the one with the odd reindeer. I remember you now." At once she grew confused. "What do you think you're doing here?"

"I'm keeping my promise to Anna. She told me to find you."

"Where is she?" Elsa looked behind him, hope bubbling up within her. "Is she here?"

Kristoff shook his head. "She's at Oaken's, where _you're_ supposed to be."

"Well, pardon me for being given false directions and having bombs exploding around me!" She crossed her arms, her crystal eyes narrowed into slits. "You may leave at any time."

At this the ice harvester smirked and turned to his reindeer. Sven tossed his head. "I'm afraid you're stuck with me."

"Don't be a fool. And don't make me order you out." She glared up at him, frost gathering at her palms.

"I promised Anna that when I found you I'd keep an eye on you. She warned me that you'd be stubborn." He placed a hand on his waist coolly.

She raised one of her eyebrows. "And why didn't she just come for me herself?"

"Because she's just a little worse for wear. She won't be coming this way for a long time. But, as soon as she's able, she and Olaf are going to come find us."

Elsa backed off slightly, her face softening to a look of concern. "She's hurt because of me…" She averted her gaze from him. "I see."

"Until then, I'm supposed to make sure you don't die and stuff."

"_And stuff_?"

He shrugged. "Her words, not mine."

The queen scoffed and waved her hand dismissively. "Mr. Bjorgman, please, it's quite obvious that I don't have any need of you. I managed to create an entire castle single-handedly; what honestly makes you think I can't take care of myself? So sorry to say, but your promise is no longer in effect."

"Hm." He nodded, glancing around. "So how much food have you got in this place?"

"Food?" She swallowed hard. "Well, that's not a concern of yours."

Kristoff pulled out a carrot from his coat and offered it to the reindeer. Sven bit off half of it and the man bit off some for his own. "If you say so."

As disgusted as she was with the display, Elsa couldn't deny the carrot looked very appealing. She hadn't eaten anything since escaping Arendelle; and that was a few days ago, at least. The only thing that filled her stomach was slivers of ice she made for water. She forced herself to turn away from him. "I do."

"_She's hungry!_" The man spoke, his voice transformed into a ridiculous tone.

Kristoff nodded to himself. "Yeah she is, Sven."

"Are you talking to the reindeer?" She glanced between the two.

"I talk _for_ him." Kristoff offered up the rest of the carrot to his friend.

Elsa shook her head and turned to ascend the staircase again. "Leave me be. I don't want to deal with an insane ice harvester and his dirty pet." As she stepped on the first stair her stomach growled, long and low.

"Oh really, Your Majesty?"

She whirled to face him, surprised to see a carrot in her face. Shooting him a distrusting glare, she grabbed it and began eating. "Fine, you may stay." She swallowed and bit down on the vegetable again. "But no matter what you say I'm not going back to Arendelle and if you so much as step out of line _once _I will not hesitate to freeze you where you stand!"

"That won't be a problem." He raised his hands defensively.

As she finished the carrot—after practically inhaling it in a rather unladylike manner—she gazed up at him. "Why are you doing this, anyway?"

"I made a promise." He turned and headed back outside. "Let me get my things and I'll see if I can find you something else to eat."

"I…would appreciate that greatly." She smiled slightly, though it disappeared as Sven began to sniff her. "Get away from me." She glared at the beast.

Kristoff took a deep breath as he began walking across the chasm. He decided it would be best if he conveniently forgot to mention the rather large monetary reward the servant girl promised him in return for the queen's well-being.

* * *

**I'm sorry to say that I've decided to put this story on hiatus. I'm going to come back to it, believe me, but right now it's not possible for me to concentrate on it. Not only do I have other fics I'm itching to do, I just don't have time to sit down and pour a bunch of heavy material into this story, because let's be honest, it's deep and depressing and it takes me a long time to do these.**

**So, I'm saying good-bye for now, but I'll be back, so don't you worry!**

**-LoRF**


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